The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-02-17


1t is presumed that by this time every
farmer has matured his plans, and is al
ready under way in executing them. One
of the first things to claim his attention
is the preparation of the manure to DC
used. He has decided to use composts
largely and he must now prepare them
the matter cannot be deferred mitch
longer. Whilst a compost will give i;uI
results, prepared only month or slN
weeks in advance of its application, the
general drift of experience indicates that
better results ensuc where they nrO pre-
pared three months III advance. Com
posts for cotton should be put up at
once, and care taken that every condition
for proper fermentation be present.
These conditions are proper admixture
Of ingredients, decided moisture all
through the mass, and decided COM
pactncss. a loosely thrown up pile Of
manure will become too hot AID be
greatly injured. a proper fermentation
brings about several Valuable results.
First, it reduces or breaks Gown the
coarscr ingredients, as nay, straw, leaves
or other litter, and rcndccs the distribu
ton Of the compost easier and more
uniform. Uniformity Of distribution is
II matter of first importance. In the
next place it renders inert, insoiublc
materials active and soluble. All Of the
nitrogen, Tor instance, Of green or fresh
manure is insoluble; it is either III the
form OF albuminOuS compounds or of
urea "a constituent of urine), and must
be changed to ammonia or nitric acid,
before plants can appropriate It. The
danger is that, as tins ammonia is
fnp l,y- Ii, l.
be lost. This is to be prevented by
keeping the fermentation within proper
bounds, as above pointed out, and by
covering the heap with a layer of rich
dirt six or eight inches thick, to catch
and absorb any escaping ammonia.
Another and very effective means of pre-
venting loss is using kainit as one OF the
ingredients Of the compost. The preva-
lent idca has been that land plnstcr was
excellent for that purpose. But plaster
only acts efficiently where there is water
enough to dissolve it, and this is not
generally the case III compost heap.
Kainit is much more soluble than plas-
ter, and will fix ammonia under circum-
stances where plaster viii not Kainit
is decidedly the best cheap aud available
substance Tor the purpose that We know.
1t has been jnst stated that kuinit
ought to be one Of the ingredients Of a
compost heap-whNt other OF the chpmi-
Cal or concentrated fertilizers should en-
ter into If. There need be no hesitation
i'll saying that phoSpholic acid, in some
form, should occupy front place III this
respect. No substance is more univcr-
sally wanting III old, lOng-cropped lands
than phosphoric acid, none, tho upplica-
tlon OF which, on such lands, has given
more uniformly good results. Besides
kalnlt and phosph0ric acid, there are no
other chemical fertilizers which need
generally enter into compOstS; in OK
ceptlonal cases some others may hc
needed; that depends upon the untruc
OF the more bulky basis Of the compost,
and to this let us turn attention. As
rule, barn-yard manure is the main
foundation Of cOmpOStS. 1t consists Of
the GXcrcmcnt and urine of horses and
cattle miXoi with II variable uuantitY Of
litter. With the farmer it Is IN ever
pressing inquiry how he may increase
the quantity and improve the quality OF
this most valuable substance. AS to the
first (the quantity), the ready answer Of
Northern and European writers has been
by keeping more stock. But bear in
mind, however, that this answer comes
from regions where grass AND grain are
the leading crops, and where large cities
and dense population QargrIy manrf-
tacturng) create large demand for
food, including meat. 70 IL NortI.crn
or English farmer the question is, shall
hay and grain be sold direct from the
farm, or shall they be converted into
meat and milk, and cheese and butter.
and these become the objects Of sale?
He can find sale for either. With y
Southern farmer the conditions arc some
what different. st present the most of
his land IS too poor to grow grass sue
ccsSlullY, and climatic conditions render
small grain crops rather uncertain. The
cities about him are small, population is
sparse, and a small portion of il engaged
in manufactures. Would these surround
ing warrant IL general increase i'll the
number Of live stock on the farm? That
is extremely doubtful. Except i'll local
iticS where there is an cXt~ndel "rangc,"
most farmers have, until & recent period,
erred III keeping too much rather than
600 ljtt!" stock. In one direction there
mi2ht be prOftablc increase, viz, in
raising all tho horses and mules they
need, and possibly the hobs required for
domestic use. Gradually our farms
might be brought up to the requisite
degree Of fertility to produce grass and
grain enough for a moderate increase III
the number of milk COWS There is a
demand tor good butter at the South,
and we ought by all means to strive to
work up to the point of supplying it.
But after all, the increase suggested
would be small, and would not go very
far towards increasing the quantity Of
mnuure. How, then, can it be done?
BY more careful outstanding of all manu-
Eial material on tho farm Especially the
urine of animaIs) and tho preventing Of
the leaching Of The soluble (and therefore
most y4luable) portions by rain.
In this connection the most urgcnt
need of Southern farmers is more sfolj
room for stock. als should be lornr
and roomy, and SO arranged that atoSL
will not have to be haltered, but nav hr
free to move about at will. When oni.
mails are haltered their urine is dis.
charged at certain spots; the coorsc
manure is not uniformly imprcgnateG
with it, as ii should be, and the animal,
will stand or lie down in wet manure r.
IT,-, i,,i Il,;. l. ~